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A lamentable Ditty composed upon the death of Robert Lo[rd Devereux] / late Earle of Essex, who was beheaded in the Tower of London, o[n Ashwenesday] / in the morning, 1600.University of California - Santa BarbaraThe Early Modern CenterDirectorPatricia Fumerton?-?Early Modern Center, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA07/05/201232617

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Patricia FumertonEarly Modern Center - English DepartmentUniversity of CaliforniaSanta Barbara, CA 93105United States of AmericaEMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

S1245111WelladayWelladayWelladaySWeet Englands pride is gon, / welladay, welladayThe Pepys Ballads : facsimile volumeEditorW.G. DayD.S. BrewerCambridge [England]1987
Information in this section of the Source Description
refers to the original ballad manuscript.
1: 107A lamentable Ditty composed upon the death of Robert Lo[rd Devereux] / late Earle of Essex, who was beheaded in the Tower of London, o[n Ashwenesday] / in the morning, 1600.A lamentable Ditty composed upon the death of Robert Lord Devereux late Earle of Essex, who was beheaded in the Tower of London, on Ashwenesday in the morning, 1600.A Lamentable Ditty Composed Upon the Death of Robert Lord Devereux Late Earl of Essex, Who Was Beheaded in the Tower of London, on Ash Wednesday in the Morning, 1600.?-?

A lamentable Ditty composed upon the death of Robert Lo[rd Devereux]late Earle of Essex, who was beheaded in the Tower of London, o[n Ashwenesday] in the morning, 1600. To the tune of Welladay.

[SWeet] Englands pride is gon,welladay, welladay,[Whi]ch makes her sigh and groneevermore still:[He] did her fame advance,[In] Ireland, Spaine, and France,[And] now by [?] all chance,is from us tane.[He] was a vertuous Peere,welladay, welladay,[And] was esteemed deare,evermore still:[He] alwayes helpt the poore,which makes them sigh ful soreHis death they doe deplore,in every place.[Br]ave honour gracd him still,gallantly, gallantly,[He] nere did deed of ill,well it is knowne,[But] Envy that foule fiend,[Wh]ose malice nere had end,[Hath br]ought true vertues friend[unto t]his thrall.[At Tilt] he did surpasse,gallantly, gallantly[All men] that is and was[eve]rmore still:[One day as it] was seene,[In honour of]our Queene[Such deeds] nere bin seene,[as he did do,][Abroad and eke a]t home,[gallantly, galla]ntly,[For valour there was] none,[like him before,][But Ireland France and Spain,][That feared great Essexs na]me,

And England lovd the same,in every place.But all would not prevailewelladay, welladay,His deeds did not availe,more was the pitty,He was condemd to die,for treason certainly,But God that sits on high,knoweth all things.That Sunday in the morne,welladay, welladay,That he to the Citie came,with all his troupe:That first began the strife,and causd him lose his lifeAnd others did the like,as well as heeYet her Princely Majesty,graciously, graciously,Hath pardon given free,to many of them:She hath releasd them quiteand given them their right,They may pray day and night,God to defend her.Shrove tusday in the night,welladay, welladay,With a heavy hearted sprite,as it is said:The Lieutenant of the Tower,who kept him in his power,At ten a clocke that houre,to him did come.And said unto him theremournfully, mournfully,My Lord you must prepare,to dye to morrow.Gods will be done quoth he,yet shall you strangely seeGod strong in me to be,though I am weake.I pray you pray for me,welladay, welladay:That God may strengthen me,against that houre:Then straight way he did callto the Guard under the wall,And did intreat them allfor him to pray.For to morrow is the day,welladay, welladay,That I the debt must pay,which I doe owe:It [is] my life I mean:[Which I must pay the Queen]

Even so hath Justice given,that I must dye.In the morning was he broughtwelladay, welladay,Where a Scaffold was set upwithin the Tower:Many Lords were present thenwith other Gentlemen,Which were appointed thento see him die.You Noble Lords, quoth he,welladay, welladay,That must the witnesse be,of this my death:Know I never lovd Papistry,but still did it defie,And Essex thus did dye,here in this place.I have a sinner been,welladay, welladay,Yet never wrongd my Queene,in all my life:My God, I did offend,which grives me at my end,May all the rest amend,I doe forgive them.To the State I nere ment ill,welladay, welladay,Neither wisht the Commons il,in all my life:But lovd all with my heart,and alwayes tooke their part,Whereas there was desart,in any place.Then mildly did he crave,mournfully, mournfully,He might that fovour have,private to pray:He then praid heartily,and with great ferverTo god that sits on hi[e]for to receive him.And then he praid ag[ain]mournfully, mou[rnfully]God to preserve [his Queen,]from all her fo[es.]And send her lo[ng to reign,]true Justice [remain]And not to le[t proud Spain]once to of[fend her,]His Gown [he stript off then]wellada[y, welladay,]And put [off his Hat and Band,]and [hung them by,]Pray[ing still continually,[To God that sits on high,][Dev]ereux,[Wed]nesday [Fragment from the far left of 1.106]

[That he m]ight patiently,[then suf]fer death.[My Heads-m]an that must be,[then sa]idhe cheerfully,[Let him] come here to me,[that I] may him see,[Who kn]eeled to him then,[Art th]ou (quoth he) the man,[Who art] appointed now,[my lif]e to free.[Yes my] Lord, did he say,[wella]day, welladay,[Forgiv]e me, I you pray,[for this i]s your death,[I here d]oe thee forgive,[And m]ay true Justice live,[No foul]e crime to forgive,[With]in their place.[Then h]e kneeld downe againe,[mour]nfully, mournfully,[And wa]s required by some,[there] standing by:[To forg]ive his enemies,[Before] death close his eyes,[Which he] did in hearty wise,[thankin]g them for it.[That they] would remember him[welladay] welladay,[That he m]ight forgive them all,[that hath] him wrongd,[Now my L]ords I take my leave[Sweet Chr]ist my soule receive,[Now when] you will prepare,[I am] ready.[He laid his he]ad on the blocke,[welladay,] welladay,[But his Dou]blet let the stroke,[But he ther]e did say:[What must] be done (quoth he)[Shall be d]one presently,[There his d]oublet off put he,[and layd d]owne againe.[Then the H]eadsman did his part.[cruelly,]cruelly,[He was ne]ver seene to start,[for all t]he blowes:[His soul now] it is at rest,[In heav]en amongst the blest,[Where G]od send us to rest,[when it] shall please him.